Expert to give verdict on Baglihar by Nov

Pak's secretary for water and power Ishfaq Mehmood said any decision by the World Bank mediator would be binding on the two sides.

The Swiss water expert appointed by the World Bank to arbitrate the Baglihar dam issue between India and Pakistan would deliver his verdict on November this year in Washington.

This was announced by Pakistani officials after attending yet another hearing on the Baglihar project held by the Swiss expert, Ramind Lafeeti, in London on Tuesday.

The head of Pakistani delegation and Federal Secretary (Water and Power) Ishfaq Mehmood said Pakistan was satisfied over the way the hearings were conducted.

"It gave us a good opportunity to effectively put across our viewpoint," state-run APP newsagency quoted him as saying.

During the discussion on the Baghliar dam, the technical experts of the two countries gave their oral arguments because they had already submitted their viewpoints in written form.

Ishfaq said the mediator would convene another meeting of the representatives of the two sides in October in Paris to have further discussion on the draft prepared by him before announcing his decision.

This is to provide another chance to the two sides to air their views.

The World Bank mediator would then convene another meeting from November 6 to 8 in Washington DC where he would announce his final verdict, Ishfaq said adding, any decision by the mediator would be binding on the two sides.